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10 November 2013

Blizzcon and the #RiseofAggra

As it turns out, being unemployed gives one plenty of time to do things during the day, so I found myself in an ideal position to watch the Blizzcon livestream via the virtual ticket. Unlike the other cons I've been to (Dragon*Con and Geek Girl Con), this was more about major announcements than discussion or Q&A panels, so there was a lot less panelist dialogue and plenty of presentation show-and-tell.

Not that I'm complaining. I wanted all of the juicy deets, and I was not disappointed. The announcement about Warlords of Draenor doesn't fill me with the same awe and excitement that Pandaria did, but I know that I look forward to playing it anyway. The panels at Blizzcon were really fun to watch, and I was interested in lots of the new changes they proposed. Even better, with a short Q&A session at the end of each panel, players could ask immediate questions about the news, or bring older content questions for even more exciting feedback.

Delightfully, I saw at least two guys ask specifically about female characters and their place in the narrative. High five, players who like their stories varied and their women present! And to their credit, the developers had clearly made an effort to get some more women into stories that sometimes take a turn towards sausagefest. For instance, in the cinematic teaser, we saw several female characters, and after showing a selection of updated male-only character models and sending Twitter into a frenzy, we suddenly found ourselves looking at the female dwarf and gnome models. There's even rumored to be a draenei Joan-of-Arc esque character, which just makes me want to level a draenei EVEN MORE. The movie panel confessed that the writers were called upon to expand their cast of characters beyond "young white guys." Change is happening! Minds are expanding!

However, one question and snappy comeback again reminded me that there is still so much to be done. Specifically asked about Aggra's role in the upcoming expansion, we were informed that the journey to Draenor was "more of a boys' trip." (Considering how many lady-identified players, or even female toons, will be making the trip...lolwut) This irritated a lot of players, especially ones who were disappointed that after her fantastic entry into the lore, she was suddenly relegated to Green Jesus' Grumpy Bossy Dream Girl. The response further removed her from a storyline that, based on her actual upbringing and wisdom, she should blend right in with, all on account of her now having a child (well, and having served her narrative purpose, it seems).

Well, that's kind of bullshit. If anything, Aggra would be very interested in and not at all out of place going to Draenor and encountering the pre-Horde orcs. I'm also not sure she would appreciate the insinuation that the baby is exclusively her business to deal with. (Maybe Alexstrasza could come back and gently cup, uh, "Thrall's Balls" and remind him of "the new generations he bore.") To be told that the female characters we already know and love - and we do love them, because when you have so few you must cling to what there is - will be set aside while the other long-running male characters forge ahead, it grates.

It's important to note that this isn't really about Aggra the individual character, but rather how, under what circumstances, and with what purpose, are non-player female characters allowed to participate in the narrative. Although there is a new lady draenei crusader, when we look at the Warlords of Draenor site, the background art is all male. Ogres are coming back, but have still seen neither hide nor hair of their women. The lineup of "legends" you can read about on the website features 10 characters, all male. Sure, many of these guys are already preexisting characters, so rather than go back in time and genderswap these established characters (unless you wanna maybe work in a trans* character? I'M NOT SAYING I'M JUST SAYING), the best option from here on out would be to endeavor to create a robust selection of female characters to prove that in the World of Warcraft, beings are judged on their merit and not the contents of their pants. Continue to develop the storylines of the female NPCs we already have, and continue to add more. Ensure that several (SEVERAL! I do not want one token girl) female characters make their way into the core characters that are consistently caught up in the center of the current expansion's plot. Force it. I'm serious! Use your writing skills and make it work.

That's what we did! Join us!

No more Aggra because she has a baby. FUCK FUCK FUCK.
— Tzufit (@soetzufit) November 8, 2013

I must admit I'm not a fan of Aggra, I think she was rather annoying for most of Cataclysm but unless she's going to be running around Nagrand as a cute little orc, it does seem strange that she's being left behind.

I admit to also being a tad concerned by this talk of a Joanne d'Arc type Draenei because I can see that going rather badly. It depends on whether they go for Holy Warrior type getting messages from Naaru or similar or whether she like so many female "warriors" before her, ends up either needing rescued or the WoW version of being burnt at the stake.

I really liked Aggra when I met her as a goblin, and I kinda liked the quest where she went to piece Thrall back together because it was both badass and sweet. Then again, even if I didn't like her I would sort of hope that she would continue on with her story now that she's been written so closely into Thrall's life, and we can't seem to get rid of him ;)

I am similarly concerned for the draenei lady. I hope she is a powerful, driven character who doesn't share the same fate as Joan of Arc. I'd rather she survive rather than nobly sacrifice herself and make me sad forever -_-

Aggra is very weak, uninteresting character, why care about her? She added in game only because Metzen wanted Thrall to have a family, that's all. She absolutly useless in trailer and even in game and books played only background minor role. And moreover, she has a child now. What must she do? Throw him to Orgrimmar orphanage and go have fun in Draenor?

You actually make a really good point about the weak writing used for female characters, in that Aggra was "added in game only to give Thrall a family," not to mention "only played background minor role." That's really lazy writing and bad character development, and female characters definitely deserve more. I care about Aggra, and by extension, other female characters, because I want them to be as nuanced and fleshed out as the male characters in WoW!

As for Aggra having a child, I'll remind you that that also means Thrall has a child. So there's no need for the baby to go into an orphanage when it has two perfectly capable parents ready to care for it!